Thursday, 26 December 2013

An Embarrassment of Riches

I’m currently in the town of Hythe on the Kentish coast
to celebrate the season with my in-laws. Christmas itself flew by yesterday in
a flurry of presents, food, comings and goings, laughter, and games. I had planned to report on all the great
gifts I received, but, in truth, I received such an embarrassment of riches,
that I am reluctant to list them all. People were exceptionally generous
towards me this year. Most of the presents I received will likely get mentioned
in future blog posts anyway.

It’s Boxing Day today; half the population of the area
will currently be descending on Canterbury for ‘the sales’. I went along one
year and it was awful, worse than any day on the build up to Christmas. I’ve
never really understood ‘the sales’. Why, on the day after I was given a huge
pile of stuff, would I want to go out and buy more? I don’t care how deep the
discounts go.

There are alternatives, of course. Some will have gone
down to the beach for the ‘Boxing Day Dip’. I think this rather chilly
tradition is probably better left to the young with stronger constitutions, or
perhaps those still drunk from the night before. There is also the 5K run around Saltwood (the
village bordering Hythe). I’ve never been much for running, and the constant
rain that has turned large chunks of the track to mud, did not increase the appeal.

So instead, I began my Boxing Day by sleeping in and then
watching the Doctor Who Christmas special which I recorded the night before.
After that, I went for a quick constitutional with the family. Things are quiet
now, but only for a bit. This evening we are all over to the Grandparents for a
gathering of the full clan.